Hand-written input for assignments and quizzes.

My students are always frustrated when having to do math on a computer because it's so much harder to type things in than hand-write them. I'd love to see a feature that would let them do just that. Specifically, I'm thinking that it would be great if they could have a "hand-written response" box (like the Rich Content box) where they could write in quiz answers with a stylus on a tablet. I would also love them to be able to pull up an assignment, write in their work by hand, and submit that online (I realize this is possible to do with a few extra steps using a PDF, saving it, etc., but the simplification of having that available in Canvas itself would be superb).

I had the students do a math assignment, then take a picture of it using the chromebook camera or an iphone. After the due date I allowed the key to be seen and them to peer grade. This works great, but there is not an auto calculate feature yet, that would average the scores their peers gave them and give them a score.

I love this idea! All of our online math courses require a handwritten final exam (and sometimes midterm). This means that students either need to come to campus to take the exams in person or pay to have a proctor where they live (as some live out of state/out of country!). Expensive, inconvenient for working students with tough schedules, etc. Not to mention for some international students - I have had to find proctors in Botswana, Indonesia, China, etc. Not always easy! I have been waiting for the ability for students to work out their answers on a tablet and this is becoming more possible as more people have access to tablets, etc. Please add this!! Thank you!

As former faculty in a health sciences program, I can see the necessity for this type of feature. The issue is not implementation. As many of you have pointed out, there are solutions on the market where an integration would make it possible. There are also ways we could design the solution. The issue stems from the fact that many students may not own or have access to the right types of technology to capture this process and include it with their work. We may look at including a student-facing formula builder as part of planned improvements for quizzes. We would not be able to deliver this idea in six months, and we really need to learn more about a few things. Your help is appreciated:

1) Is the inconsistent access to technology a concern?

2) Would a formula builder be sufficient?

3) Would working with a third-party vendor that you all could license be acceptable?

1) A recent survey of our new students showed that the vast majority had access to the internet via a desktop computer. This was followed by a laptop, smartphone, tablet, and then e-reading device (ex: Kindle). For me that means that in general a good number of my students wouldn't have access to a touch-screen device. Yet, this isn't the case for everyone, so I'm not sure how much this should play a role in the development of this functionality.

2) A formula builder would be great, but unless it is super easy and quick to use it wouldn't be useful. For me I want to know if my students can do the work/math. If this is hindered or overshadowed by the students struggling to use the technology then I'm not going to use it.

My initial opinion was that a touch screen interface would be essential as drawing formulas with a mouse is typically unnatural and would lead to various issues. To experience this awkwardness, folks can try using the Crocodoc draw tool with the mouse to write out a few formulas.

That said, one must also take a look at an application specifically designed for creating formulas. Try it here: http://webdemo.myscript.com/#/demo/equation Arguably not the exact same as when using a stylus however I am able to create fairly complex formulas using the mouse alone.

1. Access isn't an issue: our school is going to inform students about what device they need to bring to school as we transition to BYOD - if it need to be touch screen with a stylus, then we'll tell them that.

1. The primary application for this capability, that I am interested in, is for College and University level midterm and final exams. For use on homework, worksheets and other projects there could be a lack of access to technology for individual students however our STEM learning center does have enough tablets to accommodate students without their own equipment. For midterm and final testing our testing centers have the tablets needed. So, given these circumstances, access to technology is not a concern.

2. The formula builder is wholly insufficient.

3. I've looked at many third party apps and the one's I've seen don't reach the level of sophistication required. We currently use XODO and it does what we need but would like to see that capability imbedded in a Canvas quiz. XODO PDF Reader & Annotator

At my institution we are also looking for a tool that would allow basic marking up of an existing image or question. For example when teaching macroeconomics the ability to draw with the mouse or touch screen modifications to an existing chart/graph. The ability for students to input answers by drawing (with mouse, touchscreen or stylus) opens up many additional opportunities to interact with quiz content that are currently difficult and/or require using a separate program.

My needs are focused specifically on drawing for now. Freeform drawings are essential with basic editing like eraser, undo, etc. Having some basic shapes like rectangles, lines, lines with arrows would be great but then would need the ability to manipulate (size, move, rotate).

Having an equation editor would be nice but handwritting is OK for my needs. A Myscript like capability would increase the usability significantly once students became more disciplined with their hand writing.

We use OneNote and I have put worksheets into OneNote. Students type and draw "over" the worksheet, create a PDF, then submit to Canvas. That eliminates some of the "can't read" situations. But drawing legibility still an issue but is the human not the technology.

Don't get all twisted up with handwriting recognition, it's not needed in most cases. Just need a way to capture formulas and graphs written with a touch screen and stylus so a student can show their work.

Really need this feature for our Math, Science and Computer departments. Maybe this can be added as a question type option in the new quiz (quiz next). We are looking at being able to proctor our students while handwriting their calculations in Canvas quiz or assignment using a pen and tablet.

We have proctored, testing centers on several of our college campuses that are equipped with Microsoft Surface tablets. We have disabled WiFi and Bluetooth on the tablets and they connect to the Ethernet with a short adapter cable.The feature I would like to see added to Canvas would be to have an area that can be added to Canvas tests and quizzes, much like the rich text box, that allows students to use a touch sensitive tablet or other device with a stylus to hand write answers. There is no need to convert it from handwriting to symbols, instructors can read it just like a paper test. Our instructors use their MS surface tablet to mark up the tests in red and return the graded test to the student in canvas. So the test never goes to paper.

As has been pointed out advanced Math and Chemistry course testing often present questions where students need to show their work. Touch screen devices used with a stylus are an intuitive means for students to write out their work.

Currently, our instructors create tests in a PDF. Students login to canvas on a surface tablet, a proctor allows them access to the test using a password, the student downloads and saves the test. The proctor then removes the adapter cable so the tablet can't be used to look up answers or communicate with other students while the tester is working. Then the person opens the test in a PDF editor that allows them to write out their answers. When complete, the tablet is plugged into the Ethernet they upload the test to canvas where the instructor can access the test on their tablet and comment and grade the test. The process is cumbersome and lacks security. This process also does not take advantage of the Canvas time allowed for testing feature.

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